Challenge
by SitaTheLastVampire
Summary: No summary, just a one shot story... It has something to do with the title...


**Author's notes:** Ok, so this is a one shot thing. It's not a multi chaptered story, just something that stuck to my mind last week end, and wouldn't leave me alone, so…

Anyway, reviews are greatly appreciated. It's up to you to imagine what will happen next!

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'Stay down Max. Stay down,' he prayed in his head. He continued to circle around her, she struggled to get on her feet and into a fighting stance again.

He really didn't want to hurt her. But it needed to be done.

Flashback

"Look at how things are going! It's a mess. Everything's gone wrong. People need some discipline. That's all we knew before. We need that," said Dix.

"You're the highest ranking officer here. You have the right to do that. Challenge her," awkwardly, Mole made it sound like an order.

"Why don't you do it?" asked Alec.

"If I win, I know I'll win, she lacks more than ten years of training on me, what will happen : more challenging. But if you win over her : et voilà! Everything will be okay."

End of flashback

That was why they were here, fighting in the mud, in front of all the population of TC. That was why he had beat the crap out of her. But after an hour of his 'ministrations', she still didn't back down. She still had sometimes some kind of strike of genius and energy, that was why he was so bruised and his lip was split. But he knew he looked far much better than her.

At the moment, she was on all fours, trying to regain her strength. Why did he let this thing got that far? Or did he? Or was she stronger than he thought? Than they all thought. Or was it because he had a soft spot on her since they'd met back at Manticore? No. They had really fought this time. Max could bring the best in him, but also the worst. And though his conscience knew that he had to stop, his soldier side knew it had to be done. Till one of them die or acknowledge the dominance of the other.

He was afraid that with Max, they were going for the first solution.

Suddenly, she kicked his legs and he landed on his butt. She got up and looked at him.

"I'll die before I let you win this fight 494!"

So it was back to designation, huh?

"Then that's what will happen 452!"

This time though, she didn't lunge at him. So they circled each other for what seemed like an eternity. She seemed to wait patiently for an opening.

"Come on! Finish her already, she's barely standing on her feet!" yelled a voice.

Max looked at Alec and somehow he knew that she wasn't that vulnerable.

"Aren't you going to obey Alec? It's what you're good at, right?"

He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then threw a kick at her. But she dodged it.

"I thought I was the one who was tired Alec?"

He was struggling against his pride and anger and the part of him that wanted to protect her.

"Come on Alec. I can defend myself, now fight!"

What happened after that didn't last more than one minute. Their movements a blurr, their breathings ragged.

When they finally 'stopped' Max had Alec in death grip. She had him on the ground, lying flat on his belly, face in the mud, hands tackled. He couldn't move.

He still wondered where she got all that energy to fight him. They had really fought this time. He didn't let her win like that time during the cage fight. He had really fought. And he lost. He was splayed on his stomach on the ground and she had her hands on his neck, ready to snap it.

She didn't say anything. Just remained there. For a moment, he thought she was going to kill him. Then, Joshua stepped up.

"Little fella and medium fella stop now."

"I want you all to remember this moment," she said aloud to all the people looking at her. "Next time you have a request to make, or an idea to improve our lives here, just say so, coz next time there'll be a challenge here, one of us is going to die. I'm not the enemy!" she yelled as tears were forming in her eyes. "I'm not." Her voice this time merely a whisper. "I'm not the enemy."

In a second, she had released him and disappeared among the other transgenics.

He knew she couldn't go much farter. She was wounded, and all her body probably ached. She wasn't going anywhere away from TC anyway.

Joshua found her next to the sewers.

"Little fella ok?" he said, unsure of himself. Was he even supposed to talk to her? He knew what had happened there.

"Yeah,"

A silence enveloped them both.

"I know he didn't want to hurt me, but it had to be done."

She spat blood.

"Max needs to go to the infirmary," stated Joshua matter of factly.

"I'll go. Just leave me alone for now, ok?"

Later that night, she went to the infirmary.

"Max, I've been waiting for you all day," said Doc as she set a foot in the building.

"I'm ok."

"I've got to say, I'm impressed," the medic said.

She went to sit on one of the bed.

"Alec's been looking for you. He's okay by the way."

"He's always okay," She paused a moment, and looked at her friend. "Everything is going to change now, won't it?"

Joshua nodded.

"Well, I don't want anything to change," she whispered to herself and late that night a dark and feminine figure fled out of the TC without looking back.

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**You've just read the story, now please review...Tell me what you think?**


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